February 16, 2022

Test your knowledge on global extreme poverty

How many people around the world live in extreme poverty?

Correct! Wrong!

People living in extreme poverty face deprivations such as limited access to food, clean drinking water, healthcare, education, and income.

How much does an individual need to earn to be considered living in extreme poverty?

Women learning how to write
Correct! Wrong!

Twenty percent of Bangladesh’s population live below the global poverty line of less than $1.90 a day. This number is expected to have risen by 14% because of COVID-19.

True or false: gender norms are a significant factor that drives and perpetuates extreme poverty.

Correct! Wrong!

Gender norms are social norms that define acceptable behavior and actions for women and men in society. Unfortunately, girls and women are more vulnerable to poverty and exploitation because of systemic inequalities, which are often perpetuated by gender norms, and limit their abilities to attend school, work, and participate in social activities.

True or false: Children are more than twice as likely as adults to live in extreme poverty.

Correct! Wrong!

According to a study by the World Bank and UNICEF, extreme poverty disproportionately affects children. An important pathway to helping children escape the poverty trap is through early childhood education. BRAC’s play-based early childhood development interventions, called “Play Labs,” aim to ensure that all children are equally ready to benefit from school once they begin.

How many households in Bangladesh have developed sustainable livelihoods and created a pathway out of extreme poverty through BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative?

Correct! Wrong!

In Bangladesh, BRAC’s flagship Graduation program has reached more than nine million people in 2.1 million households, ‘graduating’ 95 percent of participants out of extreme poverty.

Which of these elements are key to BRAC’s Graduation approach, which helps families break the cycle of extreme poverty?

A woman carrying goods in Egypt
Correct! Wrong!

BRAC’s Graduation program in Bangladesh enables people to break the cycle of extreme poverty through a holistic, integrated approach. Participants receive financial support; livestock, equipment, or seed capital to start a business; training in business management and life and business skills; and comprehensive mentorship for two years, enabling participants to build confidence and reach their full potential.

Which of the following is a root cause and key driver of extreme poverty?

Correct! Wrong!

All of the above. BRAC’s holistic approach to fighting poverty directly addresses its root causes. Our integrated, community-led programs meet people’s basic needs and empower them with the knowledge, tools, skills, and hope they need to succeed. Part of BRAC’s mission is to expand the scope of existing social protection systems to include the provision of services to people living in extreme poverty and other marginalized groups. Unfortunately, many existing social protection programs and policies do not serve the world’s most vulnerable.